While the Minority in Parliament is opposing a voluntary 30% cut to their salaries as suggested by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah to support government’s latest austerity move, the NDC Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, seems to be considering the idea.
The Minority had earlier argued that their decision to forfeit this gesture is simply due to the fact that their salaries as MPs are basically their main source of income unlike the Majority MPs who sit on several state boards and thus have multiple streams of income.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Roads and Transport Committee, Kwame Agbodza put it simply that “majority of NPP MPs are on boards of state institutions so they draw other remuneration from these boards and other things whereas NDC MPs are not on any boards. So even if they let go of all their salaries, they will be able to find money elsewhere.”
However, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Okudzeto Ablakwa noted that he is convinced to give away as much as 40% of his salary to support the government’s agenda.
The only problem he has with doing so is whether the government will use it judiciously as expected.
“My dilemma though I am convinced and determined to take a pay cut by as much as 40%, I am torn between giving it to a government that has proven over the years to lack frugality, and whether I shouldn’t rather be spending the cut on my constituency social initiatives,” he posted on his Facebook wall.
He has been soliciting for advice on what step to take.
Source: Ghana News
